Devon GTX sets one-lap "record" at Laguna Seca

The last time I brought up the fallacy of purchasing a car (or even being a fan one one) based off a "lap record," I was called a pimp and much worse. Luckily, my skin is rhino-thick – so here's me doing it again. But first, let's talk about the car claiming to be the new King of the Corkscrew, the Devon GTX. Well, we know very little. It's been speculated that the GTX is powered by Viper, meaning there's an 8.4-liter V10 beating under its presumably carbon fiber skin. Word overheard on the street is that the serpent heart has been reworked to spit out 650 horsepower, 50 more venomous ponies than stock. And that's all anyone knows. Maybe.

What we do know is that Southern California-based industrial design haus Devon Motorworks is claiming that its new car – the "next American Supercar" – just set a "production car" one-lap record around the fabled Lagauna Seca race track. Time? 1:35.075. Having driven Laguna Seca once or twice my own self – came very close to setting the all time slowest lap, thank you – that's quite a fast time. But... to quote (once more) Jack Baruth, "Lap times set on different days, under different conditions, simply aren't comparable. It's that simple. Some days are hot, some days are cool, some days there's rubber on the track, some days there's oil. The same competent driver, in the same car, might have a fifteen-second variation from one 'Ring session to the next."

Obviously, the Nurburgring is much longer than Laguna Seca – 14 miles versus two. Even still, if you divide Jack's fifteen-second variation by seven you get a bit more than two seconds, i.e. a lifetime on a racetrack. Cut that time differential in half and you're still talking over a second per lap, just based on environmental factors. For comparison's sake, a 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR lapped Laguna in 1.35.117. Is the more powerful Devon GTX only one tenth of a second quicker than the big Dodge around a two-mile track? Couldn't the wind account for that much time? Or a few birds flapping their wings? A larger point (also brought up by Jack) is that this particular lap attempt was closed to the public and (presumably) conducted by Devon. Without calling the results meaningless, we would like to point out that the brand new Autoblog Track-a-Tack-a-Kuh GTR3X just lapped Laguna in 1:35:065. What, you won't take our word for it?

Regardless of your feelings (or ours) regarding the Devon GTX, it will be making its debut next weekend at Pebble Beach. Cars should be available for public consumption come quarter one of 2010. Full press release after the jump.

[Source: Devon Motorworks]




Devon GTX Sets One-Lap Record at Laguna Seca (August 06, 2009)

• Public, press to see first glimpse of American supercar on hallowed Pebble Beach grounds
• Production to begin in first quarter of 2010

August 5, 2009 (Los Angeles) The all-new Devon GTX supercar has yet to be introduced to the public but that didn't stop it from making news. In testing at the famed Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca, the first vehicle from California-based industrial design house Devon Motorworks (devonmotorworks.com) turned in a production car lap record time of 1:35.075. Already recognized for its breakthrough design, the Devon GTX record lap demonstrates the GTX will stand on its own with the world's best supercars.


While this testing session was closed to the public, the rest of the world will see the Devon GTX in person for the first time when it makes its debut at the Pebble Beach Councours d'Elegance on August 15, 2009.


"The Laguna Seca test session showed us just a glimpse of what the Devon GTX is capable of from a performance perspective," said Devon Motorworks CEO and founder Scott Devon. "Through further validation and testing, we know this car is capable of even greater lap times and making an even stronger statement about the future of the American supercar."


The test session at Laguna was the most recent in a series of rigorous validation sessions for the Devon GTX as the team builds to its public introduction in mid-August at the famed Pebble Beach event.


"There is no more important event in the world for cars in this class," Devon added. "We realize that – by introducing the Devon GTX at the Concours d'Elegance – we are asking the world's automotive elite to bless this car. With its bold design and outstanding performance characteristics, we are quite confident we will earn their approval."


Two key activities will highlight an exciting weekend for the Devon GTX:

• On Saturday, August, 15, media will get the first live look at the Devon GTX at a press event on the Concours Ramp at the Lodge at Pebble Beach. The event will be hosted by Scott Devon and will feature key members of the Devon Motorworks team. Pricing and specifications will also be revealed at the event.
• The following day, on Sunday, August 16, 2009, visitors to the Concours d'Elegance will see the Devon GTX as it takes its place next to some of the most exciting classic and all-new marks on the famed putting green at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Following an exciting and busy weekend, the Devon Motorworks team will return to its Los Angeles headquarters to prepare the first production vehicles for sale to the public. The first Devon GTX will make its street introduction in the first quarter of 2010.